


Human Shield

by Silverbreeze424



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, M/M, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22996924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverbreeze424/pseuds/Silverbreeze424
Summary: “Jaskier had less then a second to make his choice, and even that wasn’t necessary. It was pure instinct that made him throw himself in front of the barb, blocking its path towards the Witcher.”
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 7
Kudos: 449





	Human Shield

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place at some nebulous point after S01E06, after Geralt and Jaskier have reconciled!

It was supposed to be a rather routine case of drowned dead, an annoying foe, but one Geralt was very skilled at taking care of. The worst part was the location, as even Geralt had to admit he wasn’t fond of trudging through the swamps north of Vizima, or any swamp for that matter.

Jaskier certainly shared his distaste, but after his reconciliation with the Witcher, he was reluctant to part from him, no matter how short the time. Whether this was out of spite, or fear of being abandoned again, Geralt wasn’t sure.

“So, what is the difference between drowners and drowned dead?” Jaskier asked. It had taken a while, but the bard had eventually resumed his talkative nature after Geralt had apologized and they began to travel together once more.

Geralt glared, and Jaskier knew the Witcher well enough to recognize that as a ‘you’re an idiot, how do you not know’ glare. The bard scoffed.

“I know the superficial things, of course, the colors and the arms and the shape but-“

“Sh.” Geralt quickly hissed, freezing in place. Jaskier did so, inching a bit closer to the Witcher before going still as well.

After a few moments of apparent silence, the bard’s human ears picked up on the sounds of sloshing water too, in a familiar pattern of human (or humanoid monster) movement. Jaskier stiffened, and Geralt drew his silver sword with the loud sound of metal against hardened leather, and he trudged deeper into the swamp. Jaskier sighed, but followed.

As the bard did so, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, as something huge rapidly sprouted from the ground of an island a few feet away.

Surrounded by drowners and drowned dead, Geralt didn’t notice the huge and very menacing plant swaying to his right.

“Uh, Geralt-”

“Shut up, Jaskier,” the Witcher growled, removing one drowner’s head with a single swing of his sword.

“No, Geralt, I really think you should-” Jaskeir started, before the plant moved back its head-like bloom and sent something sharp flying towards the distracted Witcher. “Shit!”

Jaskier had less then a second to make his choice, and even that wasn’t necessary. It was pure instinct that made him throw himself in front of the barb, blocking its path towards the Witcher.

The barb sunk into his shoulder, and his knees went weak underneath him before he even registered the pain. He splashed down into the murky water, holding himself out of the water with one trembling arm as a terrible pain laced through the other.

Despite what one might think of the bard, he was used to pain. Even before he joined to Witcher and acquired all the injuries one might expect from that, he found himself on the wrong end of a knife or fist rather frequently.

No previous pain even came close to what he felt now.

Someone nearby was yelling his name, he realized distantly, and he tried to turn to them, ask them for help, anything, but he couldn’t manage to even move his mouth. His arm gave out, and so did his vision before he even hit the water.

oOo

The only challenging thing about dealing with drowners, or even drowned dead, was their numbers. A single drowner could be taken out in a single hit, but dealing with a hoard of seven, as Geralt was now, was a bit more difficult. 

He heard something splash behind him, and his first thought was another drowner rising up from the murky swamp water. As he spun around to face the imagined beast, his eyes instead caught on an archespore, and the fallen body of his bard, held up only by one trembling hand.

He roared, defeating the remaining drowners in a single swing, before turning his attention to the loaming archespore. He growled low in his throat, signing for Igni, and didn’t wait for the flames around the plant to die out before he set upon it with his sword, swinging and chopping until it was nothing more than a pile of chopped greens. He panted, feeling very much like the wolf he was nicknamed for, before whipping around to look at the fallen bard.

“Jaskier!?” Geralt said, trying to keep his voice at his usual monotone grumble, but failing. 

He approached the bard, kneeling down next to him and looking over his body for any signs of wounds. He couldn’t see anything, until the bard collapsed and he was forced to grab him before he landed face first in the swamp water. Gently, he adjusted the bard in his arms, and once he was facing upwards the problem was obvious- an archespore barb was at least an inch deep in his shoulder. 

“How’d you let this happen, you fool?” Geralt rumbled, his voice too concerned and far too fond. He tugged the bard closer to his chest, rose to his feet, and began to head towards the dryer land where he left Roach.

oOo

There wasn’t time to head into town and try to find a better healer. The best Geralt could do was set Jaskier down on dry land and grab the extra potions from Roach’s saddle bag.

“Wake up, Bard,” Geralt rumbled, tapping Jaskier’s face with his large palm. The skin felt cool and clammy, and looked far too pale.

“Mmph.” Jaskier groaned, fingers twitching before he let out a loud groan of pain.

Geralt sighed and adjusted the bard into a sitting position, his back against his chest. Carefully, he held the diluted Golden Oriole potion to the man’s lips and began to tilt it upwards.

“Swallow, Jaskier,” Geralt demanded, and painfully, the bard did so.

“You know, last time someone asked me to do that it was a lot sexier,” Jaskier said weakly, his voice rasping and a disgusted look on his face. Geralt let out a huff that he wouldn’t admit was amused.

“I’m going to have to remove the barb now.”

Jaskier glanced at the aforementioned barb out of the corner of his eye and then closed them both. “Ok. Make it quick.”

Geralt counted it down, but ripped the barb out in one quick motion at two. Jaskier let out a high whine, body stiffening against the Witcher’s, before it went completely slack.

His hands flew to the bard’s neck, seeking out his pulse and finding it easily. He had just passed out again, Geralt realized with a shaky sigh. With the barb removed and the Golden Oriole doing its job, all that was left to do was clean and bandage the wound. 

It was probably for the best that the man was unconscious, Geralt thought as he ripped the bard’s shirt to give him easier access to the wound. Carefully and methodically, he went about cleaning and drying the wound, applying a poultice, and wrapping his whole shoulder in bandages, Jaskier slumped limply against him all the while, his resting face tight with pain. Once he was satisfied with his treatment, he laid the bard out on the bedroll, bundling him up against the damp chill of the swamp air. Geralt settled against a tree nearby, and contented himself with keeping watch for the night.

oOo

Jaskier woke up to rather intense pain in his shoulder and sunlight filtering through his eyelids. He groaned and threw his unharmed arm over his eyes to block out the light.

“I see you’re well.” Geralt rumbled to his right.

“‘Well’ seems like a bit of an exaggeration,” Jaskier whined back, his voice rough from disuse. Slowly and carefully, he sat up and squinted at the Witcher. “How long was I out?”

Geralt glanced at the sun overhead. “A bit over a full day.”

Jaskier hummed, rubbing a hand along the place where the bandages met his neck. 

“If you were paying any attention, you could have dodged.” Geralt rumbled after awhile, his eyes flicking back to the bard to glare at him.

“I could have-“ Jaskier echoed, confused, before it clicked. “It wasn’t aiming for me, you fool! I saved your life and you didn’t even notice!”

Geralt’s cat like eyes widened, before narrowing even further. He stood up just to loom over the bard.

“You jumped in front of an Archespore barb? I thought after all this time I had grown to understand the limits of your stupidity, but somehow you still manage to surprise me!” 

Jaskier’s face settled between hurt and angry. “I did it to save your stupid arse! The least you could do is show a little appreciation!”

“I would have been fine! You, on the other hand, could have died! Archespore poison won’t kill a Witcher, but it sure as hell will a human! You’re fragile, Jaskier!”

“And you are too! You might be a Witcher, but you aren’t immortal, and you aren’t invulnerable! If I can save you another scar, then I will, again and again!” Jaskier snarled, and he was prepared to continue his rant before Geralt gripped the back of his neck. He was scared for a moment that the Witcher was finally so sick of him that he was willing to hurt him, before he was tugged in closer and warm lips were pressed tightly against his.

He was paralyzed for a moment, before his mind caught up to his lips and he kissed him back, wrapping his uninjured arm tight around the Witcher. Geralt hummed into the kiss and tangled his hand in Jaskier’s hair, pulling his head back to get a better angle. After a long moment, Geralt pulled back, still huffing hot air onto Jaskier’s kiss-reddened lips.

“If I knew all it would take to get you to kiss me was jumping in front of an Archespore barb, I would have done it sooner,” Jaskier said, licking his lips with a dazed expression on his face.

Geralt huffed, between angry and fond, and pulled Jaskier in for another kiss.


End file.
